How Many Guns, How Much Ammo is Too Much?
You've no doubt seen the coverage of the California gun confiscation. The dude who lived there had over 1,000 guns and apparently piles and piles of ammunition. This has raised a lot of questions and concerns about how much guns and ammo should one person have so I decided I'd attempt to answer it.
Before I go any further, let me state that this is MURICA and the amount of guns I own is nunya, as in none of your business.
More than that, however, let's take a stand on something here. I don't personally know that guy and have no idea why he had those guns. It could just be that he is a collector. After all, the news report said as much. Civil war guns are highly collectible and the guy may just have a serious hobby.
I'm not going to rush to any judgement, and neither should anyone else. I do want to point out here that the BATFE is investigating him on suspicion of selling guns illegally. If that's the case, that's not cool.
And it seems at this point that he was arrested for owning some “illegal” guns in California like automatic M2 50 cal Brownings based on one report I read, though it is not verified at this point so again, no judgement here.
The part I want to focus on is the question being asked by gun haters–which is how much guns and ammo is too much guns and ammo?
Let me start by saying there is no such thing. The Constitution does NOT put a limit on such things and I could buy a house and stack guns from the floor to the ceiling in every room without breaking any rules.
My wife and kids wouldn't be too happy, but in theory, there is no limit on the amount of guns I can own unless I'm a convicted felon. Now, this guy lives in California and there's a good chance some of the guns he had were illegal to own in that state. For that alone he'll likely do some jail time.
But, what about ammunition? Is there any ban on the amount of ammunition I can own? I can't say what's legal or not in California. And I know there are certain states with some idiotic ammunition rules. However, there isn't anything in the Constitution that talks about how much ammo I can own, either.
You can store as much ammo as you feel necessary for your own purposes. When you consider that many gun owners say they own at least 1,000 rounds of ammo/gun just in case the doo doo hits the fan with many gun owners owning at least 10 guns … that's a decent amount of ammo per household.
That's enough to choke up any anti-gun person into believing it's the end of the world as we know it. But it's not. Not only is it NOT the end of the world, it isn't really any of your business.
And that's one of the great things about America, right? It's a protected right. At least it is for the time being. They're trying hard to change that–to which I point back to my guns and ammo which is why they're there to begin with.
If you haven't seen the video floating around on the internet, you can see one version of it, here:
Yeah, what he said.
I can’t believe how close he lived to Beyoncé and Jay-Z. But also not sure why that was in the story. Maybe they’re the neighbors that reported him?
Gun ownership should come down to personal preference type, caliber and total number of weapons should be up to the individual. No you can’t check my gun case. However, training is definitely required.
I would bet a day’s pay that some of these firearms disappeared somehow along the way.
That “news” story is sensational, but lacks substance. The pedigree of his business partner being descended from J Paul Getty doesn’t address the guy’s amazing collection, and neither does the fact that he lives near other rich people.
At some point, the number and types of books a person has–and the argument that “how many books is too many?”–is going to be this sensational, and that’s a problem.
How much is too much? The answer is: more than I have/want/can afford, etc. Seriously, if “I” don’t have or want to have any guns, then according to “MY” beliefs, “YOU” shouldn’t have any either. It speaks to a fundamental difference between liberals and conservatives. If a conservative chooses to do or not do something, to own or not own something, etc., that person makes his or her choice and is fine with it. If a liberal makes the same choice(s), he/she often has a compelling need to convince or force everyone else to make the same choice.
AFAIK there doesn’t appear any reason to arrest him or confiscate his collection. Personal enrichmnt for certain police perhaps?
all gun laws are unconstitutional ,that’s what infringe means, gun laws don’t work
I think that the number of guns a person owns is entirely up to that person and his finances. His or her spouse may also have some input on the subject. As for the quantity of ammo goes, my personal feeling is that you should have a minimum of 1000 rounds for each caliber of firearm you own. I personally try for 1000 rounds per firearm.
Assume its like golf. To cover the course, you are allowed to carry 14 clubs and all the balls you can. Each club has a purpose. If you were limited to 14 guns and wanted to cover all practical possibilities, what would be the 14 you would choose.
I’m glad you didn’t use baseball. You only get one bat.
Assume its like golf. To cover the course, you are allowed to carry 14 clubs and all the balls you can. Each club has a purpose. If you were limited to 14 guns and wanted to cover all practical possibilities, what would be the 14 you would choose.
I. To don’t think it is any of the governments business as to how many guns or ammo I have and I also think that if he is not a felon that they should give guns back.
I agree, I own a “few” guns and have a “bunch” of ammo for them. Some may say I have too much but that’s their problem. I pass a NICS check every time I have to. I know of a guy who just passed and he had a bunch of guns and over 40,000 rounds of ammo and he probably didn’t think he had too many.
“Red Flag” gun seizure laws give gun haters a tool to use against their neighbors they hate because we have what we have. Republicans are even lining up to support this Rubio’s seizure process. One problem. They forgot to protect the owners right to face his or her accuser before they step in hour home and confiscate. It is called due process and there will be more cases like this pop up in the mainstream media and public perceptions may be affected by how much or many you own. Trump’s staff heard the plea from the American Firearms Coalition just last week. He was told to veto any Federal sponsored Red Flag Gun Seizure Bill that he see because it is missing due process. Call your Senators and Representatives today and tell them apologize for stepping on your rights. This crap legislation may change your life forever. For that reason I gave all my arms away and you all should do the same. Just a suggestion – would you?
The second amendment never set a limit on how many nor what kind of guns could or should be legally owned by the common citizen. So, nor should we! With the resent cash of guns; if they prove to be illegally possessed or are stolen guns they they should be removed and the holder of these guns prosecuted but for being a thief not a for gun ownership!
I think everyone should have at least pne more gun than they will ever need !!!!!
I’ve heard that he was illegally SELLING them – ‘That na good. U got some ‘splainin’ ta do.”
But, since he hasn’t been tried and convicted, they pull all his guns out of his house and pile them up, scratching the stocks and bluing.
If they must be impounded – so be it. How about some care for people’s property?!
Or, put crime scene tape around the whole house and a lock on the door, assuming he was arrested.
They’re not forfeit until they are forfeit.
Good article! When I talk to non-gun people about ammunition here is my argument: Would you agree that people who have guns should be well trained! (usually the answer is yes) Experts recommend a bare minimum of training would be 50 rounds per month of training. Assume you have 1 pistol, 1 shotgun, 1 22 rifle, 1 hunting caliber rifle and 1 defensive rifle. That is 5 guns X 50 rounds = 250 per month. My wife and I have guns: 2 X 250 = 500 rounds per month X 12 months = 6000 rounds per year. It is cheapest to buy ammo in amounts of 500 or 1000 rounds. So does it seem reasonable that the average gun owner would have 6,000 to 10,000 rounds of ammunition in their house?
I match up the amount of guns I own to the amount of shoes my wife purchases. It’s only fair :))
You can own more guns than you can carry, own more ammo than can be carried on the person. But you CAN’T own too many or too much!
It is beyond belief how little most people think for themselves. They would rather be followers instead of leaders or at the very least question and investigate on their own. There is a very big difference between ignorance and stupidity. Ignorance is when we don’t know something, usually because we’ve not been taught. An example would be that I am ignorant in Brain Surgery. Stupidity is when we’ve been taught something and yet we keep making the same mistakes over and over.
None of any ones business how many weapons a person has.if he or she are legally to own them
It is my understanding that the accused was reportedly selling the weapons out of his house, which is illeagal in the state of California. And while they did find some “illeagal weapons”,my biggest concern is, that if is a collector/seller of firearms, is the way they were improperly stored, granted 1000+ is a large number of firearms, but still, he should have known better. If they were properly stored and secured I believe the most he would be facing is the illeagal transaction charge.
The objective of gun control is illogical at best, and at its worst is the precursor to tyranny, as it has been in almost every country on earth that has suffered under such rule. One of the first things tyrannical leaders or governments do is take the population’s firearms away. It is the way to exert nearly universal control under the threat of death for non-compliance. Our forefathers foresaw this problem and in the interest of liberty penned the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution. My understanding of the power of the rights outlined in the Constitution is that they apply equally to every state, city, town, county in the U.S. Therefore, any law restricting gun ownership, any gun regulation or other gun restriction (or ammo), is a direct violation of the rights guaranteed by the Federal Government to the law abiding citizens of the United States, and is unconstitutional. This right is no different than the right to freedom of speech, or the press, or the eradication of slavery. The States, counties, cities, towns etc. cannot abridge these rights without violating the constitution of the U.S. Eventually, this is going to be clarified by either a constitutional convention, or the Supreme Court. All firearm restrictions are illegal under the 2nd amendment. Theft of firearms or selling black market firearms is a different question, and is addressed by other statutes. The uninfringeable right to bear arms is the basis of liberty and the best defense against tyranny because it leaves a measure of power to resist in the hands of individual citizens should their government become oppressive. As such there is no number of guns or ammunition that can be a limit so long as the citizen is law-abiding and has obtained his firearm legally. It is illogical to even suggest it.
The world is changing every day . We live in a nation where we have rights no afforded by people of other countries . This country , United States , came about due to suppression and the lack of personal freedom religous or otherwise . Lately we are seeing a swing in the other direction , less individual freedom . A small group of people will decide they don’t want anyone to have a certain freedoms so they vote to make it illigal for all . Before long we are not going to have any rights left to be voted out . The one thing we as a nation need to do is everyone get out and vote ! If we don’t stop this madness soon there will be no voting left !
You can’t ever have too many or too much
If you know how many guns you have, you don’t have enough.
What a lot of excrement this guys probably been collecting for years and to have it all taken away because some busy body got scared , but the gangs are more of a threat than this guy who was a hard working gun collector
I always notice the comments by folks writing such articles making references to “false reports by the media”. LOL.
Like the rest, conservative politicians, NRA, and most of all the present administration (that promoted all this “fake news” for attempting to expose the truth) never release any False Reports. That is a double LOL, so LOL again
As far as how many guns and ammo one owns, if legal I don’t care. All I know is I only need a few for target shooting 22s mostly cause can afford to shoot more often, a couple for defense including a 9mm pistol and a 12 gauge I bought 64 years ago for hunting and recently added a short barrel for home defense.
Guess I am old enough to have some sense even if I have wants (one of every kind be fun) that wants and needs or differen.
So buy what you want, no matter to me as long as legal and intentions are legal.??
By the way, it ain’t only liberals trying to force their views on others. Wake up folks!!!
The Second Amendment is part of the CONSTITUTION. As a citizen of the USA, No one has the right to deny you of gun ownership. Anyone who wants to deny you that right must legally change the CONSTITUTION. Anyone who creates a secondary local law to confiscate your legally owned guns is illegally corrupting your rights and can be sued and should be deported for VIOLATING the law of the land. The ONLY way Your guns can be confiscated from your possession is through a change, by unanimous consent of the Entire electorate. Blood will run in the streets if any moron tries to change common consent through local law. So SHUT UP and abide by the rules.
I figure 20-30 guns apiece would be a reasonable number for the entire population. And, since a lot of people have “0” guns, it falls on the rest of us to pick up the slack…
Seven Nations in the last century prevented their citizens from owning guns. Because those citizens had no way to protect themselves, 56 MILLION souls were EXTERMINATED by their own governments through the 1900’s. Earlier in the 1800’s, DUMOCRAP President Andrew Jackson Confiscated the Tribal Lands of 16000 Eastern American Indians, rounded them up and forced them to the untamed west. 4000 of them DIED on the trek west called, The TRAIL OF TEARS. Jackson was somewhat of a Bastard in American History. Even in our Country, EXTERMINATION is not out of the realm of possibility. You know how HARD HEADED the lying LIBERALS can be, they need to be advised further anti-gun legislation might get a few holes blown in their arguments including themselves. There are other places they can live where guns don’t exist. We urge them to take advantage of the opportunity & get OUT
Too many guns and too much ammo? It is just like being rich, you can never have enough money. Or too much horsepower in a vehicle, too much is not quit enough , Or, too much guns and ammo ,is not quit enough! The Libs want to disarm us because they are afraid of us.
I’m never concerned about what kind or how many of particular firearms some one owns as long as they are law abiding individuals.
Problem here is erroneous laws will be passed that do nothing but limit our rights as protected by the constitution.
If this guy has any firearms banned by state or federal law he’s got trouble but if that’s not the case he should walk free and get his property back.
All these laws,state,federal etc you have to be a lawyer to know it all!! People are afraid to carry even if they have a permit it all sucks in my opinion seems like our 2nd Amendment is looked at as a Privilege not a Right in this day and age!!
I didn’t read all the comments but here is what I read.
The news article my mother sent me from the area this happened said he was in possession of a large capacity magazine which is illegal in CA. He also had prior gun possession violations.
One of the things that come to mind is who benefits from this display of private weapons? I if proven guilty and convicted he should not be able to own any of them whether they are legal or not in CA. At the point pictured he was not convicted and these are private and should not be sensationalized by displaying to the public. The other thing that erks me is in CA they will be destroyed. That is a waste of good firearms, treated like garbage on the curb.
Extreme gun laws have not proven to deter crime nor criminals.. Why does CA have to be so paranoid about everything. Forgive me but we could exist just fine with 49 or even 48 or 47 states! Considering there are some states with extreme gun laws that agree to harbor criminals as common practice.